I joined this web site a couple days ago, and I’ve got my first question. Yesterday, I bought some cherry and walnut planks from an elderly gentleman who is changing his hobbies and moving away from woodworking. While I was at his house, he showed me a tool (an angle grinder attachment) that he used to carve out that area of a chair seat that, you know, conforms with the human posterior.

I don’t know what it’s called. The guy thinks he bought if from Rockler several years ago. My local Rockler guys can’t indentify it, and I haven’t been able to find it on the Internet. I would describe it as a grey, steel doughnut with bristles. It’s not what I think of when I think of a grinding wheel. It’s three dimensional. It’s not one of those cups with wires. For lack of a better picture, I would describe it as a steel sea anemone (with shorter spikes). It’s one of the most agressive looking tools I’ve seen.

7 replies so far

While I was waiting for my first posting to be approved, I did a lot of searching on the Internet, and found the answer to my own question. This thing is called a Kutzall. I’m attaching a photo.

While I’m here, though, I wanted to say that I really like this web site. I just stumbled upon it a couple days ago. I’m both impressed and intimidated by some of the beautiful woodwork I’ve seen here. It’s also the first site that I’ve joined that has resulted in several welcome aboard messages. I appreciate that.

Harbor Freight has a version of that. They also have the best price on the one with a chainsaw chain made by Lancelot tools. I bought one and have not yet used it – a chainsaw sculptor told me they were a bit on the dangerous side.

I purchased one of these on Charles Brock’s recommendation when I built a Maloof rocker. They really take the material off and are not as contrary as would appear because the teeth come straight off the surface, not an an angle. These orange ones seem to have fewer teeth than the silver one pictured above.

I also bought a smaller version, more like the end of a hotdog, that has a quarter inch shaft. Works great in a die grinder.

Back to the doughnut, one thing I learned was that a paddle-switch angle grinder is not a good choice for this cutter. I had no issues with it, but I can see it could be dangerous or disastrous. I have since purchased a slide-switch type backup AG, safer but somewhat awkward for a lefty.

Kindly,

Lee

-- "...in his brain, which is as dry as the remainder biscuit after a voyage, he hath strange places cramm'd with observation, the which he vents in mangled forms." --Shakespeare, "As You Like It"

Lee; A foot pedel switch to control the grinder would also add some safety. I use this system for all router work and many other hand held tools. Just make sure to turn the switch on the tool when you put it down. How do I know that ?

-- Nils, So. Central MI. Wood is honest.Take the effort to understand what it has to tell you before you try to change it.

I use the Kutzall a fair bit for (large) spoon and curve carving. It does work pretty well.

Warning: Keep BOTH hands on the grinder until it fully spins down. A moments inattention can lead to a whole lot of missing skin in a hurry :O I still have all of my fingers and can now make a fist without it hurting to much now so its all good but wasn’t totally sure for a while there…